Mile zero

While on my walk, I saw a group of people huddled around a spot on the trail downtown. I walked over and saw a lectern. The mile zero spot of the Great Allegheny Passage trail had been blocked off for improvements for four days. I thought they were just replacing the brick.

Turns out they were installing this marker. There's a similar marker at the end 150 miles away in Pittsburgh. Cumberland had a Western Maryland Railway station, was the start of the National Road, and the C&O Canal passed through, hence "by rail, by road, by river."

The unveiling ceremony included the mayor, a trail official from Pittsburgh, an employee of a congressperson and other local officials. About 50 people were there.

The trail follows the railway to Frostburg, then it heads up through the hills and tunnels all the way to Pittsburgh. When I get my bike, I hope to ride some of it.